“Hear ye, hear ye! Queen Aggravain (Abby Cate) and King Sextimus the Silent (Matt Callaway) would like to formally invite you to their kingdom for the celebration of the forever-single marital status of Prince Dauntless (Thomas Brewster). That is, unless Princess Winnifred the Woebegone (Kaila Emery) has anything to say about it! With twelve princesses having tried and failed to pass the Queen’s test, Princess Winnifred stands the best shot to pass!
This witty musical is the retelling of “The Princess and the Pea” fairy tale by transforming it into a story about the ramifications of no one being able to wed until the Prince has found his princess. With love blooming between Lady Larken (Summer Shipp) and Sir Harry (Matthew Power), time is of the utmost importance.
Alas, Princess Winnifred has some help in the way of the Jester (Kate Flynn), the Minstrel (Hannah Hopson), and the King himself! It’s this collision that has led the people of the kingdom to be caught in the middle with the Ladies and the Knights being torn between the two sides! The ensemble of lords and ladies includes Renee Bearden, Ruth Griffin, Nicole Hopson, Mary Clair Parker, Traci Stevenson, Austin Crank, Preston Huitt, Parker Lacy, and Ellis Lyles.
With a test of sensitivity involving twenty mattresses stacked on top of each other, Princess Winnifred must find a way to overcome the odds to wed her prince and live happily ever after. Between a scheming Queen and Wizard (Gary Hall) aiming to make the test impossible, a Princess able to leap over every hurdle, and a host of others trying to make success a possibility, this musical is jam-packed with memorable characters and hilarious scenes for children and adults alike!
The production is co-directed by Rhett Davis and Hayden Nooner and is sponsored by Nexans AmerCable and Southern Bancorp.Co-director Rhett Davis stated, “We have a dynamic cast filled with hilarious people that have done an amazing job at finding the tiniest of moments and really drumming it up.” Co-director Hayen Nooner expanded on this by saying, “I’m very impressed at just what these actors have already accomplished in such a short time. We’re incredibly thrilled with our cast and what they’re pulling together.”
“Once Upon A Mattress”, presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals, will run October 19, 21-22, and 26-29, 2023 in the Callaway Theater. For more information or to reserve tickets for this show, please call the SAAC office at 870-862-5474 or visit our Tickets to The City Online Box-office. Ticket prices are $10 for students, $15 for SAAC members and $25 for general admission.
